-- by Spencer Hsu and N.C. Aizenman, The Washington Post:

Months after reporting that the number of illegal immigrants removed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement increased 47 percent during President Obama's first year in office, the Department of Homeland Security on Monday corrected the record, saying the actual increase in those deported and "voluntary departures" was 5 percent.

The 387,790 illegal immigrants removed by ICE in fiscal 2009 was still a record, as cited in the department's Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Financial Report, which was dated Nov. 16.

A DHS spokesman said the report erred by lumping together in the 2009 figure the number of illegal immigrants deported with those permitted to leave on their own power rather than being physically removed by ICE, an option called "voluntary departure."

Read More